Thanks for posting the photos Ged. They brought back lots of memories.
I think I am right in saying that we bought a pram from Swift's in 1965 and we were served by a member of The Searchers (Needles and Pinza). Would that be correct?
Also my mum used to work in Appleby's flour mill in the late 1940's or early 50's. I used to meet her coming home from work and all of the ladies who worked there wore 1940's style head-scarfs.

Peter you are correct when you said that a member of the Searchers worked in Swifts and his name was Chris Crummy and he changed it to Chris Curtis and he lived 3doors away from me when we lived in Florida Street which was off Strand Road.
On the day the Searchers won their 1st gold record they had a party in their house and a few celebs were there and with the house only being a terraced they like us only had an outside toilet and with a lot of people drinking the toilet was to small and some celebs used the side entry next to their house and that is where i saw Kathy Kirby and Dusty Springfield having a pee.Wish i had a camerathose days.

Henry
Thanks for confirming that for me. Some memories do get a bit distorted over the years but I felt fairly confident of that one.
The 'celebs' names you mention; Cathy Kirby and Dusty Springfield, both great singers in their day, sadly no longer with us.

henry wrote: a member of the Searchers worked in Swifts and his name was Chris Crummy and he changed it to Chris Curtis.

Chris lived in Netherton Grange until a few years ago. I believe he then moved into a retirement home close by, situated on Ormskirk Road between the canal and the British Legion. I heard he passed away not long after moving to the home.

oriel55 wrote:Chris lived in Netherton Grange until a few years ago. I believe he then moved into a retirement home close by, situated on Ormskirk Road between the canal and the British Legion. I heard he passed away not long after moving to the home.

That is correct Chris at times attended the British Legion on Thursday nights, sometimes gave an impromptu spot with 'Merseycats' Childrens charity, who held jamming sessions many Merseybeat band members turned out on a regular basis. Chris towards the end had serious health problems, he had difficulty with concentration, sometimes start a song and midway continue singing a different song! and he was having mobility difficulties. Here is a link to the Merseycats http://www.merseycats.com/If you go down the links on the this site's Homepage, under Articles you will find a transcript of an interview with Spencer Leigh and Chris, this is his last interview. If you are a Merseybeat fan quite an interesting site, with a lot of video footage etc. (I saw the reformed Cryin Shames last weekend at Llandudno)

peter davenport wrote:HenryThanks for confirming that for me. Some memories do get a bit distorted over the years but I felt fairly confident of that one.The 'celebs' names you mention; Cathy Kirby and Dusty Springfield, both great singers in their day, sadly no longer with us.

Peter.

Though Dusty has passed on, Kathy Kirby is still around!She's 68 now, and has a show about her rather sad life, in the offing,according to her website.

Hi Annette the tailors was called Cohens it was owned by a nice jewish man if you remember you could by a suit length and take it to him and he would make it up in a week,also there was a young chap who worked in Swifts on the corner facing the strand he was called Chris Crummy he was the first drummer with the Searches group in the late 50s early 60s . Betty.

Bettymac wrote:Hi Annette the tailors was called Cohens it was owned by a nice jewish man if you remember you could by a suit length and take it to him and he would make it up in a week,also there was a young chap who worked in Swifts on the corner facing the strand he was called Chris Crummy he was the first drummer with the Searches group in the late 50s early 60s . Betty.

My sister Margaret worked in Cohens in the fifties, I remember it well. My friend Doreen Pilson lived in that area, I think in a street close to Swifts, I would love to know if anyone knows her, I lost touch with her about 1959.
Fran.

Before the supposed "improvement" of the building of the "new strand" was Strand Rd that ran across Stanley rd. In that area were thousands of people who had come through two world wars, not one but TWO. They had survive there, despite having lost family boys who had marched away during ww1, their loss never forgotten. Then not many years later WW2 was declared. Ordinary people , again faced the nightmare of leaving their families'. The people of Liverpool & Bootle were bombed mercilessly during the Blitz, due to their defence of the docks of WW2. The people of this community had come together and fought their own war. They HAD to survive, Mothers because their Children needed them, Their husband were away fighting, they needed to know that at least their family were safe at home. The grandparents often went to stay will their sons or daughters family's because they had either been bombed out of their home or they gave up their home for another family with children who had no where to go. They then lived with their children. But in each of these homes, not one child felt they had nowhere to go. Not one. Everyone pulled together, everyone shared what they had, however small it was. This wasn't just a community, it was one HUGE family.. Yet they thought they could "improve " it with a row of shops and a concrete mess. I was born in Delaware Street, Bootle. In my Grandmothers front parlour. These people are the salt of the salt of the earth. My heart weeps for the people who missed being loved in this family. Oh barefoot days.

I love to read anything on the old bootle the one I remember where the the people said hello with a hug in their voice.

Strand Road you couldn't find a better place to live especially our street (FLORIDA)never went barefoot but had plenty of cardboard in the holes in my shoes and galloshers but had a lovely pair of pumps which my mam whitened every Sunday to go to mass and look smart